Nippon banzai!*

[greywing]

I'm so behind on news, but I was talking to CP and I have some simple questions. "Genie," as much as I love it, is an interesting choice to port over to the Japanese market. I mean, this single was SNSD's leap into the "mature" image, the contrast they deliberately provided against their super power sugar pop hit "Love Machine""Gee," which was so

Comments

[askbask]

This picture reveals their recycled video uniforms: http://koreangirlsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/snsd-1007-genie-3d.jpg

Let's hope the cake party isn't recycled!

[raingilded]

- 4minute went has gone for Jap lang. versions of Muzik, HUH and I My Me Mine, I think. And an original Japanese-lang ballad, Sayonara; pretty generic, but I think the leader gets more lines than her usual two, there. That might be something to go by. Kara hasn't released a Jap original yet

[greywing]

-Hyo might freeze up =x

I've always wondered about the dance embellishments they throw in, how much they consult managers, choreographers, each other about it. For sure "Oh!" had parts where members definitely planned ahead to play around with each other and it's kind of become the "To hell with it, let's have fun!" song for them with hijinks galore, even for official broadcasts and not just smaller stages. The managers don't seem too concerned since nothing has curbed that playfulness about the performances.

I wonder if they'll do small promos to see how their Korean material is received and are revving up for fullblown Japanese promotions in the meanwhile.

Quick comment is quick

[just_keep_on]

- I wondered why they didn't use "Gee" as well. The only thing I could think of was the MV which was totally Japanese dating sim xP Maybe "Gee" will be the coupled song, their 'ace' per se, since they know it's a hit song.
- I don't see why they'd change their uniform. The only thing they'd need to change is their 'flair' (I totally need to watch The Office again XD). I mean, those blue uniforms were awesome and the 'casual' sailor outfits I think would do well. I also don't see them changing the choreo as well - there's no real need to.
- Hopefully Hyo takes liberties!!!!!!!!!! *forest of pining ;____;*

(In all, I'm willing to bet they change nothing but the language and the flair on their uniforms. Though I think Sooyoung and Fany have long hair again - from their Star Calls - which is interesting ...)

Re: Quick comment is quick

[greywing]

The only thing I could think of was the MV which was totally Japanese dating sim xP

I totally wiped the MV from my memory but now all I can think about is that we're getting pornJapanese dating sim in 3D. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

But now that you mention it, this single seemed quite tailored to the Japanese market even at the time of its Korean release. It did get attention in Japan as other comments are saying. Hrm.

[hyomona]

-For some reason not debuting with Gee makes sense. I mean, Genie will be just as good to build curiosity to new fans for them. I mean you CANNOT ignore the entrancing leg dance. It seems maybe SM could be going for a slow build up or trying to completely differentiate themselves from other cute style jpop groups and newly arriving kpop groups like Kara. Its possible that they think that remaking Gee is just not something they want to touch. It is appealing all on its own to me without needing english lyrics and I wouldn't want it any other way

[greywing]

trying to completely differentiate themselves from other cute style jpop groups and newly arriving kpop groups like Kara.

I wonder. I mean, it's Legs vs. Butts. Neither is quite . . . cute, per se. I've always been partial to the upbeat tempo of "Mister" too.

It is appealing all on its own to me without needing english lyrics and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel this way about most, if not all, of their songs. I think when I hear songs in foreign languages, I tend to hook onto the "sound" more than the meaning behind the song. Knowing what a song means can add depth of enjoyment, but since the first thing I get hit with when I hear a foreign song is its sound and not its meaning, the melodic hook of melody + vocals has to be there for me.

I'm wondering this because their songs don't fit all their outfits if they plan to perform several of them.I have no idea, but ahahahahahahaha. "Oh!" performed in anything but "Oh!" outfits makes me lol. And any other song performed in "Oh!" outfits makes me cringe

[hyomona]

They might not push her very much in the Japanese market.

This. I'm looking at japanese girl group vids right now and they all look like little dolls! I see lots of little Taeyeon and Hara looking type girls. They all have sweet adorable appearances. Even some of the members in SNSD I would have a hard time picturing blending into the jpop girl crowd so I wonder if we will see Hyo at all. But maybe SM is not trying to mold them into what the typical jpop girlgroup but to stand out as a different commodity altogether. A new breed of girl group?

Oh and I wonder if SM is going to give them a really nice place to stay or go back to the basics and give them very modest living accommodations. Sort of how like when they originally debuted and then were rewarded with a better place when they got more successful.

[arbitrary_greay]

I believe that Genie is the song most well-known by Japan. In most of the videos in Japan about SNSD that have popped up so far they use Genie clips, although the dancedub troupe that came in did Oh!. Gee got SNSD into the spotlight in Korea, but because they built on their popularity(and possibly peaked after) with Genie it's the one that Japan took note of

[greywing]

"Gee" definitely did filter into Japan all under-the-radar-like since so many girls were using it as an audition song and making producers go, "WTF?" The polish of the "Gee" MV coupled with its maddening hookiness helped put SNSD on the musical map of many countries, I think. "Genie" was a brilliant follow up in that I think it did pull in people who were skeptical or disaffected by "Gee"--the "Gee" fans who may not haved liked "Genie" stuck around out of instilled loyalty while people who didn't like "Gee" were like, "Hey, what a second . . ." For someone like me who liked both, "Genie" cemented my interest in the group since I liked the song so damn much. Still do.

SNSD's "Girlfriend" totally hits on my love of 80s and anime pop music. <3

[arbitrary_greay]

The audition thing though was UFA doing auditions in Korea.

Re Girlfriend: this video still makes me smile, even if Hercules was riffing off of 60s not 80s. And though I ranted about how Kpop is less melodic, usually SM is more Jpopish in that respect, probably stemming from all of their experience shilling BoA and DBSK

[askbask]

So you missed the lezbo kissing?

Makes you sympathize with japanese girls longing for girl group alternatives!

I love Perfume's music. "Natural Beauty" is quite insanely poppin' and crackin'. I like how they sound like they did in their early independent days but are among the biggest groups now. And pop artists who consistently work with one producer are almost always better off!